The ruling Awami League (AL) has decided to participate in the 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) election slated for January 7 in two ways--alone and in alliance.
Besides, almost all the parties of the 14-party alliance led by AL have decided to participate in the election through an alliance led by the AL like in last three JS polls.
It should be mentioned that the 14-party alliance has been taking part in the JS polls in alliance since 2008.
Awami League office secretary Barrister Biplob Barua on Saturday said, “The Awami League has sent a letter to the Election Commission mentioning the AL will participate in the election through an alliance led by the AL and also alone.”
“In which constituencies the AL will nominate candidates in alliance and alone in which constituencies will be announced on the last day of withdrawal of nomination papers on December 17,” he added.
Meanwhile, most of the parties in the 14-party alliance, including the Jatiya Party (Ershad), Jatiya Party (Manju), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), Workers Party of Bangladesh, Samyabadi Dal and Tarikat Federation already have informed the Election Commission that they would participate in the JS polls in an alliance led by the AL.
Of them, Jatiya Party has decided to contest the upcoming 12th Jatiya Sangsad elections with the Grand Alliance led by Awami League, as a partner party.
Leader of the opposition and chief patron of Jatiya Party Begum Roushan Ershad on Saturday sent a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal in this regard.
In the letter, Roushan Ershad said that Jatiya Party has decided to contest the 12th JS polls as a partner party of the Awami League-led grand alliance for the fourth time in continuation of the past three parliamentary elections.
She said that it will be an electoral alliance only.
After the polls, elected parliament members of Jatiya Party will follow the party decision, she mentioned in the letter.
Roushan Ershad also mentioned in the letter that all nominated candidates of Jatiya Party can choose the party symbol “Langal” (Plough) or a candidate, as his or her desire, being allied with the grand alliance.
She urged the CEC for taking necessary measures in this regard.
Ashok Kumer Devnath, additional secretary of the EC, said so far seven political parties have formally informed them that they would take part in the JS polls through alliance.
Those parties are AL, Jatiya Party, JP, JSD, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Samyabadi Dal and Trinamool BNP, he said.
It should be mentioned that CEC Kazi Habibul Awal on November 15 announced JS polls schedule mentioning that the next JS polls will be held on January 7 in 2024.
He also announced that political parties will be able to submit nominations for candidacies till November 30. The Election Commission will scrutinise the nomination papers from December 1 to December 4.
Appeals against the nominations can be submitted from December 6 to December 15 and nominations need to be withdrawn by December 17.
The CEC also said political parties will be able to distribute symbols within December 18 and the election campaign will officially kick off on December 18. The campaign duration will end on 8:00am on January 5.
